Journal box dust guards



July 9, 1957 E HOYER 2,798,746

JOURNAL BOX DUST GUARDS Filed July l2, 1954 ZIB Llewelljrz E, jL'oCljef'- JOURNAL BGX DUST GUARDS Llewellyn E. Hoyer, Wyckoi, N.

Brake Shoe Company, of Delaware J., assignor to American New York, N. Y., a corporation This invention relates to dust journals.

In mounting the journal box on the journal of a railway car wheel, it is customary to include a dust guard in the box for engaging about the journal to seal off the side of the box that is disposed next to the car wheel. Such guards include a portion which engages about the periphery of the journal, and the customary assembly procedure is to position the journal box having the dust guard therein on` the exposed end of the journal and then apply the box to the journal as described in my application Serial No. 442,788, tiled July 12, 1954.

it has been found advantageous to construct dust guards of the foregoing kind with a pad of resilient material having an opening in the medial portion thereof through which the journal is to be passed, and this assures a tight seal between the dust guard and the car axle or journal. In my aforesaid application, I have disclosed a dust guard comprising a resilient pad which is interposed between a pair of relatively rigid plates which are independently attached to either side of the resilient pad, the arrangement being such that the marginal portions of the pad project beyond the edges of the plates. The dust guard of the present invention also includes a resilient dust guard pad similar to that described in the aforesaid application, but the dust guard of the present invention includes resilient plates on either side of the dust guard pad bonded integrally theretoand an annular spring is so arranged in the dust guard thus afforded as to assure that the dust guard is iirmly engaged about the seat on the journal that is allocated thereto.

The objects of the present invention are to permit a dust guard of the foregoing kind to be constructed of oil resistant rubber but nevertheless suiiiciently rigid in nature to assure that the dust guard remains as an upright wall at one end of the journal box; to effectively seal olf the journal box at the end thereof nextto the wheel; to permit a rubber dust guard of the foregoing kind to be fabricated in a two step process; to construct a rubber dust guard of the foregoing kind including sealing rings and drain passages in the portion thereof engaged with Athe dust guard seat on the journal assuring that the journal is effectively sealed against the passage of liquids; and to arrange .an annular spring in the dust guard further assuring a tight seal iit of the dust guard pad about the journal.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawing which, by way of illustration, shows preferred embodiments of the present invention and the principles thereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying these principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention.

In the drawings:

guards for railway States Patent 2,793,746 ilatented July 9, 1957 Fig. l is a perspective view, cut away in part, of a dust guard constructed along the lines of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View of the dust guard shown in Fig. l and showing the manner in which the dust guard is to be mounted in the journal box in operative engagement with the railway journal; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional View of a modified form of a dust guard.

The present invention is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 as embodied in a substantially horseshoe-shaped dust guard 20 adapted to be mounted in a journal box IB at the end thereof which is disposed next to the car wheel of the railway car. The dust guard 20 has flat top and side edges and a bottom edge which is rounded to afford a bight portion. A slot DS is formed about the inside of the journal box at the end which will be next to the car wheel, and this slot is similar in outline to the outline of the dust guard 2l) so that the dust guard may be mounted therein. The slot DS follows the contours of the journal box and hence is rounded at the bottom.

The dust guard 20 in the present instance is constructed entirely of oil resistant rubber in the exposed portions thereof` and includes a pad 21 which may consist of closed cell, sponge-like neoprene rubber of a highly resilient but oil resistant nature. The pad 21 is generally horseshoe-shaped in outline, including hat top and side edges and has a rounded bottom edge 21B affording a bight portion which is contoured to iit into the rounded bottom of the dust guard slot DS formed in the journal box. Disposed in centered relation on either side of the pad 21 are a pair of solid rubber oil resistant side plates 23 and 24 preferably of neoprene rubber. These plates 25 and 24 are similar in contour to the pad 21. but in outside dimensions are less in every direction than the pad 2l, and the two plates are referred to as the seal plate and the retainer plate respectively :and being solid are of less resilience than the pad 2l.

Thus, in the present instance the two plates 23 and 24 are of a relatively rigid nature as compared to the pad 21 so as to aiord an adequate support for the pad 21 disposed in the journal box. These plates are molded so as to constitute a one-piece unit as shown in the drawing having an opening 22 extended through the medial or axial portion thereof. This opening is dened by a sleeve or annular web W serving to connect the two plates 23 and 24 in spaced relation to one another. During production of the guard 2t), the rubber base molding material of which the pad 21 is to consist is arranged in the cavity between the two plates 23 and 24 and the formation of the pad 21 from the molding material thus arranged is carried out in a separate molding operation which bonds the pad 2l integrally to the inside faces of the plates 23 and 24 and the webW. In this manner, the pad 21 and the plates 23 and 24 are integrated as a unitary body. it may here be pointed out that since the outside lateral dimensions of the pad 21 thus aiforded are greater in extent in every direction than the corresponding dimensions of the two plates 23` and 24, a free marginal portion 21M of the pad 21 extends beyond the outside edges 23E and 24E of the side plates in all directions so as to extend entirely about the dust guard.

The opening 22 in the medial portion of dust guard 2i) admits the end of the journal I, which is to be disposed within the journal box, being passed through the dust guard. To enable the guard to t tightly :about the journal, a dust guard seat 25 is formed on the journal adjacent the seat WS where the car wheel is to iit. The diameter of the opening 22 afforded by the web W is dimensioned relative to the `diameter of the seat 25 so that the web will fit tightly about the seat 2S.

As was noted hereinabove, the dust guard 20 is to be inserted in the slot DS afforded therefor in the journal box, and this is done before the journal box is fitted on to the journal. Thus, the Width of the dust guard 20 between the outside faces of the plate 23 and 2,4 is of greater dimension than the widthof the slot DS so that to insert the dust guard in the slot DS it is necessary to compress slightly theside plates 23 and 24 as permitted bythe highly resilient nature of the pad` 21. 1n this manner, the dust guard 20 under compression may be passed down through the dust guard slot from the upper open end thereof in the top of the journal box to dispose the bight portions of the plates 23 and 24 well within the rounded bottom of the dust guard slot DS. Similarly, the side marginal portions of the dust guard are disposed between the vertical side walls of the slot DS.

The length of the dust guard 20 from the bight portion 21B to the top of the pad 21 isV such that when the bottom of the dustguard is disposed in the dust guard slot so as to be spaced somewhat above the bottom wall of the slot DS as. shown in Fig. 2, the topk marginal portion of the pad 21 andof the two plates 23 and 24 is disposedv between the walls ofthe dust guard slct at the top thereof. As will be noted from Fig. 2, the exposed marginal portions 21M of thepad 21 when the dust guard is thus mounted in the journal box will expand axially outwardly in the direction of the Walls of the dust guard slot DS beyond the outside edges 23E and 24E of the two side plates due to those portions of the pad 21 which are coextensive in dimension with the plates 23 and 24 being placed under compression in mounting the dust guard in the slot as described above. This relation affords an efficient packing in the dust guard slot. The compression of the pad 21 holds the side plates 23 and 24 firmly against the spaced walls of the slot DS, and since these side plates are of rubber, an effective engagement thereof with the walls of theV slotv DS further assures that the dust guard slot is eectively packed against the passage of material through the slot DS-from or in to the journal box. In the event of relative displacement between the journal box and they journal, the resilient nature of the web W engaging the journal freely admits of such movement.

It is essential to efficient operation that the dust guard 20 tightly engage about the dust guardseat 25 on the journal. This relation is assured. in the present instance by arranging an annular spring in the form of a garter spring3tl within thecavity between theplates 23 and 24. The` spring 30 is selected so as to contract the web .W interconnecting the side plates 23 and 24 on the dust guard seat/25, and in fabricating the dust guard 20 thespring 30 may be located in the cavity between the plates 23k and 24 prior to placing the rubber base molding material Vfor tlc pad 21 therein. Accordingly, the molding operation which bonds thepad 21 to the inside faces of the plates 23 and 24 also embeds the garterspring 30 in operative position about the inside face or wall of thetweb W.

A dust guard of this kind must not only seal the journal box against the entrance of dust an-d like foreign matter from the outside, but must also seal the journal box against the escape of lubricant for the journal and the brass from the inside. For this purpose, the dust guard of the present invention includes a set of sealing rings R,-1, R-2 and R-3 spaced axially along the exposed wall of the web W so as to engage the journal. These rings afe formed on the web W during the course of molding the rubber plates 23 and 24, and when the dust guard is mounted on` the dust guard seat 25, afforded by the journal I, the spring 30 is effective to press the rings firmly against the dust guard seat to assure an effective oil seal between the parts that are there in engagement.

The spaced rings, R-l, R-2 and R-3 thus afforded provide a pair of axially spaced grooves, 26 and 27 that extend about the opening 22 in the medial portions of the dust guard 20. When the dust guard is located on the journal, these grooves serve to trap liquids tending to 4 pass along the journal, and drain passages 28 and 29 are formed in the plates 23 and 24 in communication with the grooves 26 and 27 respectively so that such liquid as does collect between the dust guard and the seat 25 may drain back into the journal box or to the outside thereof as the case may be.

A modified form of the invention is illustrated in the dust guard 4t) shown in Fig. 3, wherein a pair of annular springs are arranged on the outside of the dust guard to assure that the dust guard lits securely about the journal. The dust guard 40 dimensionally is like the dust guard 20 in that the sponge pad 41 is horseshoe-shaped in outline precisely like the pad 21. A pair of horseshoe-shaped side plates 43 and 44 like the plates 23 and 24 are bonded to the pad 41 so as to leave a continuous peripheral marginal portion 41M about the pad 41 unattached to either plate 43 or 44.

The sleeve or web W-l serving to interconnect the two plates 43 and 44 as a unitary body in this instance is formed on the side disposed toward the journal with axially spaced ribs as R-ll, R-12 and R-13 which serve as sealing rings operating identically to the sealing rings R-l, R-2 and R-3 as described above. Thus, the dimensions of the dust guard 40 are such that the rings R41, R12 and R-13 will hug the dust guard seat on the journal when the journal is passed through the opening in the dust guard afforded by the web W-l. The grooves or channels 46 and 47 define-d by the three sealing rings will trap liquids tending to pass along the journal, and drain passages 48 and 49 are-afforded in the side plates 43 and 44 to relieve the liquids trapped in the channels 46 and 47, respectively.

The pad 40 also includes a spring means for pressing the 'web'VlLl against the dust guard seat on the journal. In the present instance, this means is afforded by a pair of garter springs 51 and 52 which are arranged in annular grooves as 5 3 and 54 afforded therefor in the outer faces of the plates 43 and 44 about the web W-1. To` enable the springs 51 and 52 to be arranged with facility in the grooves 53 and 54 afforded therefor, the portions of the side plates 43 and 44 connected to the web W-l are tapered inwardly affording what is equivalent to countersunk openings as 55 and 56 around the grooves 53 and 54. From the foregoing it will be seen that the arrangement is such that a garter spring is disposed operatively on the outside of the dust guard 40 at either end of the web W-1, and this assures that the two outside rings R-11 and R-13are firmly pressed against the corresponding portions of the journal.

Thus, while I have illustrated and Idescribed the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that these are capable of variation and modification.

I claim:

l. A dust guard for a journal box as in a railway car and comprising, a resilient retainer plate and a resilient seal'plate having inner andouter faces, said plates being interconnected lin spaced opposed relation to one another by an annular resilient sleeve integral therewith affording a circular opening extended through the4 medial portionsl of said plates and through which such a journal is adapted to be passed, spaced apart annular seal rings disposed within said sleeve and projecting radially inwardly in respect thereto for engaging the journal and affording anannular groove between the rings, a drain passage communicating with the bottom of said groove and opening at theplane of the outer face of one of said plates to drain liquid trapped in the lower portion of said groove, a pad of relatively greater resilience than` said plates arranged between said plates and dimensionedtso as to have the marginal portions thereof extended outwardly beyond the outer edges of said plates in all directions, and a spring'arranged about said sleeve so as to contract saidV sleeve `and said rings about the journal.

2. A dustguard for a. journal box as ina railway car and comprising, a pair of rubber plates havinginner and outer faces disposed in spaced relation to one another, said plates being interconnected by an annular sleeve affording openings at the medial portions of said plates through which a journal is adapted to be passed, said sleeve including integral spaced apart seal rings projecting radially inwardly therefrom to t tightly about said journal, said rings alfording annular grooves therebetween, drain passages communicating with the bottom of said grooves and opening respectively at the planes of the outer faces of said plates to drain liquid trapped in the lower portions of said grooves, and a rubber pad of greater resilience than said plates arranged in the cavity afforded by said sleeve and said plates, the outside dimensions of said pad being greater than the corresponding dimensions of said plates so as to afford a marginal outer pad portion free of said plates.

3. A dust guard for a journal box as in a railway car having a journal and comprising, a pair of rubber plates disposed in spaced opposed relation to one another, said plates being interconnected by an annular sleeve attached to said plates and affording a circular passage between the plates and opening at the outer faces of said plates to afford circular openings in said plates through which said journal is adapted to be passed, said sleeve including at least a pair of spaced annular seal rings of greatly narrowed width in comparison to said sleeve and projecting radially inwardly from the sleeve to iit tightly about said journal, said rings including between them an annular groove, at least one drain passage communieating with the bottom portion of said groove and opening at the plane of the outer face of one of said plates to drain liquids that may be trapped in the bottom of said groove, and a pad of rubber more resilient than said plates and arranged between said plates and including an outer marginal portion extended beyond said plates.

4. In a journal box as for the journal of a railway car, a dust guard inserted in a slot provided therefor in the journal box and comprising, a pair of rubber plates having inner and outer faces disposed in spaced relation to one another and each having a circular opening formed in the medial portion thereof through which said journal is passed, an annular rubber sleeve connected to the plates with the respective ends of said sleeve opening at and terminating at the respective openings in said plates, said sleeve including integral seal rings of narrow dimension thereon tting closely about said journal and affording an annular groove between the rings for trapping liquid therein, a pad of rubber more resilient than said plates arranged in the cavity afforded by said sleeve and said plates, the outside dimensions of said pad being greater in every direction than the corresponding dirnensions of the plates so as to afford a marginal outer portion of the pad about the guard free of said plates, the normal thickness of the dust guard between the outer faces of said plates being greater than the width of said slot in the journal box so that the guard disposed in said slot as aforesaid has said rubber plates pressed outwardly against the walls defining said slot with said free portion of the pad expanded in said slot, and a drain passage communicating with the bottom of said groove and opening at the plane of the outer face of one of said plates.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,849,359 Braden Mar. 15, 1932 2,151,410 Richter Mar. 21, 1939 2,177,441 Pesarese Oct. 24, 1939 2,211,899 Kriegbaum Aug. 20, 1940 2,233,359 Rogers Feb. 25, 1941 2,241,870 Scribner May 13, 1941 2,746,781 Jones May 22, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 471,341 Great Britain Sept. 2, 1937 471,801 Germany Feb. 18, 1929 486,836 Germany Dec. 2, 1929 652,481 France Oct. 23, 1928 673,726 Great Britain June 11, 1952 862,046 France Nov. 22, 1940 

